The condition of the matrix is affected by temperature fluctuations during transportation and by storage conditions. Dry ice must be used throughout transportation.

If the freezer used to store GelNest™ Basement Membrane Matrix has an automatic defrost function, the temperature increase during defrosting may cause repeated freeze-thaw cycles and reduce protein activity. Therefore, do not store GelNest™ Basement Membrane Matrix in this type of freezer.

To ensure optimal performance, minimize the number of freeze-thaw cycles. Upon receiving a new bottle of GelNest™ Basement Membrane Matrix, aliquot it into single-use portions. During each thawing procedure, keep the matrix in an ice-water bath.

In cell migration and invasion assays, a Transwell insert is placed in a culture plate. The interior of the insert is referred to as the upper chamber, and the culture plate well is the lower chamber. The two media compartments are separated by a permeable polycarbonate membrane. Cells are seeded in the upper chamber, while components in the lower-chamber medium can influence them through the membrane. By using polycarbonate membranes with different pore sizes and surface treatments, the system can be used for co-culture, chemotaxis, cell migration, cell invasion, and related studies.